


The Origin Of...

by echomoon



Series: Cracked Jewels [1]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Canon Typical Violence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Maleficent/Diaval (lightly mentioned), mentions of child abuse, unnamed spouses - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-04 05:06:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12763803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echomoon/pseuds/echomoon
Summary: The stories surrounding the pasts of our favorite teen villains and those they impact, or, the backstory changes made for the Cracked Jewels AU.





	1. Malia Drachentocher

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my AU! Names have been changed to like, proper names rather than nicknames derivative of their parents. And last names! Because I came up with them for another story and have decided to use them for every story I write now. I'm using this both to share the backstories of my characters, which will be different from the movie canon (and book canon, I haven't really managed to actually read the books so), and to establish worldbuilding changes. I'm pulling canon from all sources, both disney and folk tale, and also making things up for my own use. I really hope this universe I'm building is enjoyable!  
> So without further ado, I present to you the first chapter, the birth of Malia Drachentocher

The thing about magical domes blocking all those inside from using their magic is that when you've trapped enough powerful people under it, their innate magic begins to bubble up twice as hard. And sure, the dome was designed to soak up the magic to power itself, but they were producing more than enough for that. So the extra magic floated into the air, into the earth, enough to manipulate the dead, inert island into something far less mundane than their captors intended. But no one would know this until the next generation began to grow up, those born bonded to the Isle rather than chained, the progeny who were barely tied to the magic leaching dome, trapped only in name.

One of the ways magic manifested on the Isle was this: some faeries are born of baby's first laugh, and that didn't change even here in this supposedly mundane place. They are fickle little things, barely capable of more than one thought or emotion at a time, and in Maleficent's opinion were hardly more useful than a potions ingredient. 

 

After a few years, babies began to laugh all over the Isle. Their shallow little laugh spheres floated from all over the Isle, heading without a thought to Maleficent, the strongest fae within their range, and crushing them for ingredients was exactly what she did once they made their way to her, as potions were a magic powered by the ingredients rather than the brewer, and even in the weakest places there was still enough innate magic in the earth to power that.

But one day, she showed a moment of weakness and let herself become filled with nostalgia for her days of ruling the Moors, of being surrounded by loyal fae and creatures rather than barely amicable fellow prisoners, most of whom would not have been worth a second of her time outside of this wretched place. And that day, when another trifle made its way to her lair, tinkling like a chime, she hesitated rather than immediately end its life. She let it float around her, around the room, before settling onto the ever soft feathers of her frozen in time once companion, Diaval, stuck in his avian form; she felt what little was left of her heart pang. As she watched, the trifle's light began to dim, revealing the form of a tiny girl, hardly larger than a petal, with light purple skin and dark purple hair and lime green wings. The little fairy yawned, nestling further into the feathers.

Maleficent decided, just this once, to allow the trifle to live. After all, having a follower this size would be useful for spying, and easier to control than a human or beast.

When she returned to that room the next morning, Diaval was gone, and a human sized baby lay in his place. Upon closer examination, she realized it was the little laugh from the night before, wings folded up against her back, now dark and feathered. The stone of her staff, which had been resting across the same table, was also missing. As the realization hit her, she flew into a rage, throwing everything around as far as she could, but as she approached the baby, intending to throttle it, it opened its eyes. They glowed an inhuman green, just as hers did, and when their eyes locked it let out a wail - with it, small crackles of fire left its little fingertips. Maleficent watched in shock as the baby exhibited magic she thought was lost to the godforsaken dome. In a second her intentions twisted - she wasn't sure how this laugh-turned-child had taken her power like this, but she had every intention of reharnessing it for herself.

Little did she know the fate-string she was unconsciously following would one day soon bring this child to change the world. 

 


	2. Jahi Najjir Al Jafar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: non-graphic mentions of minor character deaths, including that of a child, and misogynistic slurs.

After learning that children born on the Isle could, indeed, possess the magic of their parents, Jafar was disappointed to find his first son come out normal instead of overtly magical, and killed both him and the mother in a fit of rage after the boy's first birthday. As a human turned sorcerer turned djinn turned human again, he had hoped a child of his would immediately possess his previous genie powers.

The second time around, he let the boy live, hoping this one would at least possess his sorcery and somehow managing to find within himself some patience. The boy didn't display signs of it until he was 3, at the very last edge of Jafar's patience for the whole endeavor, but he at least had a worthy heir.

Unfortunately for his plans to father a family of sorcerers to do his bidding and eventually free him from this hell, the woman who bore him the boy was from that point on barren, and wasted away from sickness after many years of estrangement. It was odd, how many of his lovers eventually succumbed to the same sickness, but it was of minor import to him so he paid it no mind. 

The boy wasn't exactly skilled at sorcery, but Jafar blamed it on the anti magic dome that surrounded them. He was otherwise quick on his feet, skulked like a shadow, and was clever enough to use his meager skills for his father's advantage. And with Jafar's role as an advisor to that fae bitch Maleficent, who unfortunately managed to ensnare the entire isle under her rule, he felt that things were running fairly well. The only thing better would be getting off the Isle and destroying those who put him there.

He had no idea what the boy would one day become.


	3. Carlos De Vil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: non graphic mentions of child abuse and mentions of minor character death

The only reason Carlos survived to the age of 5 was because of his father.

Born from the closest thing to a love affair the Isle could produce, to fashion mogul Cruella De Vil, who's mental health had been on a long decline for quite some time, and a 'Mad Scientist' who was banished from Auradon for his radical opinions and eagerness to experiment on intelligent creatures, including humans, and whose name Carlos was never told, the boy had a nigh genius intellect and was quick to learn, explore, and invent. Unfortunately, after his father's 'mysterious' death, he had no one to look after him, and he quickly became what was essentially a servant for his mother, who threw herself even further into mindless affairs, blind rages, and as many vices as she could get her hands on.

Carlos learned to be quiet, to stay out of sight, and to do absolutely everything his mother asked of him - or there would be severe consequences. He adapted, learned to survive.

He expected to die on the Isle, most likely young and at the hand of his mother.

He didn't expect what his life would one day become.

**Author's Note:**

> catch me on tumblr @echomoon for status updates, fandom rambling, and puppies.


End file.
